October 3, 2016

Blu-Ray Review: BANSHEE - THE COMPLETE FOURTH (and final) SEASON

Starring Antony Starr, Ivana Milicevic, Ulrich Thomsen, Frankie Faison, Hoon Lee, Matt Servitto, Lili Simmons, Matthew Rauch, Tom Pelphrey, Chris Coy, Eliza Dushku. Various Directors. (2016, 480 min).
HBO / CINEMAX

And so ends the most deliriously insane show on television. Cinemax had announced prior to this fourth season that it would be the last. While I’m sorry to see it go, at least it gives Banshee the chance to go out with a bang.

Boy, does it ever.

Season Four doesn’t stop to pick up new passengers, either. If you aren’t up-to-speed on what’s transpired during the past three seasons (especially the last one), you will be completely lost. There’s too much story left to tell and only eight episodes to do it. While there are numerous flashbacks, they pop up to let viewers in on what’s happened with most of these characters since the end of Season Three, such as the murder of Proctor’s niece, Rebecca, at the hands of a serial killer. Now Banshee’s mayor (he ran unopposed), Proctor (Ulrich Thomsen) uses his position and mob muscle to exact revenge. It’s revealed that Lucas Hood (Antony Starr) also has good reasons for tracking down the killer, and not just because he’s a suspect. Later, arrogant and reckless FBL agent (Eliza Dushku) shows up to team with Hood to find the killer (even though he’s no longer the sheriff).

One of Banshee's quiet moments.


Meanwhile, we learn the fate of Job, who was abducted during the military base heist at the end of last season. Hood and Carrie had previously spent 18 months trying to find him, and had more-or-less given up. One of Season Three’s developing plot threads involved a group of batshit crazy neo-Nazis. Now they have formed an uneasy partnership with Proctor to make Banshee the leading drug distributor on the East Coast. As for Carrie (Ivana Milicevic), she’s lost custody of her kids and has become something of a local vigilante, repeatedly attacking Proctor’s nefarious businesses after the death of her husband.

Again, if you aren’t already up-to-speed, too bad. For everyone else, Season Four delivers its usual quota of twists, guns, fights, blood, sex and disreputable nastiness we’ve grown to love about the show. Best of all, the finale brings it all to a satisfying conclusion. So don’t mourn Banshee’s passing. Be happy we now have four solid seasons of everything-but-the-kitchen-sink mayhem to revisit again and again.

EXTRA KIBBLES:
FEATURETTES: "Zoomed In" (Making-of documentaries for every episode); “Cast Retrospective” (Several cast members recall their favorite fight scenes and Job’s costumes).
"Banshee Origins" - Several prequel webisodes which take place before the events of the series. For fans, this is the best of the bonus features.
Deleted Scenes
Numerous Audio Commentaries
KITTY CONSENSUS:
PURR...LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS

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